BoffinMum has found a nanny!!!

[BoffinMum]

Just to announce that BoffinMum has finally found a lovely nanny with whom she is delighted, and at a price she can afford. Many thanks to all on this thread for advice and support through the dark days of the APs and subsequently all the agency nonsense, and for finally helping me see the childcare light.

Special thanks to Blondes and NannyNick for their tireless encouragement as well.

Very happy for you. I hope it all goes well.

Congratulations!!

yah

you are always welcome xx

BoffinMum, congratulations! am I right in thinking you're in Cambridge? I am too and have struggled on with au pairs for years but am just getting fed up with it (and also not able to afford house big enough to house one any more). can you share info on where/how you found her, and most importantly, pay? would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Congratulations (from another Cambridge-area au pair host ) Hope she's great and you get peace of mind and happy children

MizZan, £280 net live in for 50 hours. Tried various agencies and told them I wanted experienced qualified nanny. Initially they sent me CVs of unqualified nursery temps who wanted £30k a year and stuff like that. One memorable applicant was younger than my eldest child and had rattled through 3 shared care jobs in a year, and had done a 6 week home correspondence course in childcare. She said she wouldn't get out of bed for less than £450 per week net (grosses up at £35k). I started to panic and turned to MN.

After support from MN nannies, I eventually grew testicles and drafted a really good and detailed job spec with a picture of my kids looking appealing on the top, stating the salary both weekly net and annually gross (non-negotiable). I insisted on the agencies sending me CVs of NNEB or equivalent nannies only.

I then started getting proper applications and ended up choosing someone from Tinies.

Moral of the story is to know exactly what you want and make the agencies whistle to your tune.

Also the trial day showed me what a real nanny can do. Ours:

Got through the same kid-related housework on an hour that the APs took several days to do.

Knew all about how to launder baby clothes in Filetti etc without repeated instruction and nagging, and associated eye rolling behind my back.

Was able to cook a nice family dinner from scratch in 30 minutes from whatever was in the fridge, without any hand holding or whining about not being able to chop vegetables, pretend confusion about how to turn the oven/hob on, etc.

Hinted to me various things about child safety and comfort such as whether DC3 ought to wear a jumper, and with hindsight was right.

Used all safety equipment properly.

Kept coming to me discreetly to ask for more work, while baby was sleeping.

Demonstrated distinct baby whispering qualities.

And can I add that most of my APs were fully trained German nursery nurses or trainee teachers with only a year to go, so you would expect them to be able to show a bit of maturity, wouldn't you?

Boffinmum- since she's live-in, could you let us know at some point in the future, if live-in nannies have the same drawbacks as live-in au pairs (food, visitors etc).
I've just asked work if I can increase my hours partly because I would then be able to justify a live-in nanny rather than au pair, but we really need the 'live-in' part and I think that however much experience they have it's the niggles of living in the same house which cause most of the stress.

I will do, but the main thing I noticed is that at the end of the day she withdrew discreetly to her room and did not require chit chat, boyfriend or college course counselling or instructing to remove her shoes and clutter from our part of the house. Nannies are professional members of staff and not expecting you to be their mum. For me that makes a big difference. Also ours has horses so will be going home every weekend.

Hurrah! Am very pleased for you BoffinMum and hope all continues well.